Wheel rim and driver lug assembly therefor

ABSTRACT

A multipiece wheel rim having a special driver lug assembly, having a pair of circumferentially spaced-apart lugs mounted on a bead seat ring to engage a member attached to the rim base of a wheel rim and prevent circumferential movement of the bead seat band on the rim base when the rim is used on a vehicle. The driver lugs are so designed and positioned that they permit substantially uniform radial flexing of the bead seat band thereby preventing undesirable stresses at any given location on the bead seat band.

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Akron, Ohio [54] WHEEL RIM AND DRIVER LUG ASSEMBLY THEREFOR ABSTRACT: Amultipiece wheel rim having a special driver lug assembly, having a pairof circumferentially spaced-apart lu 12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

152/410 gs mounted on a bead seat ring to engage a member at- B60c 5/16tached to the rim base of a wheel rim and prevent circum- 152/410ferential movement of the bead seat band on the rim base [51] Int. [50]FieldofSearch............................................

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1963Holmes,Jr....................

when the rim is used on a vehicle. The driver lugs are so designed andpositioned that they permit substantially uniform radial flexing of thebead seat band thereby preventing undesirable stresses at any givenlocation on the bead seat band.

PATENTEU AUG 1 7 I975 SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG.

INVENTOR. G ERHART L. GERBETH ATTORNEY PATENTEU AUG] 7197:

SHEET 2 0F 2 T R A R l R P FIG. 4

WBRIOR ARl INVENTOR GERHART L. GERBETH ATTORNEY WHEEL RIM AND DRIVER LUGASSEMBLY THEREFOR This invention relates to a multipiece wheel rim andmore particularly to a rim driver assembly having a particular lugconfiguration which eliminates undesirable stresses in the bead seatband of the wheel rim.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This'invention is an improvement onpreviously issued US. Pat. No. 3,003,538 issued to G. L. Gerbeth who isalso the inventor of this invention. This invention is designed for useon multipiece wheel rims of the type shown in the previous Gerbethpatent and is designed to relieve certain stress conditions which wereencountered in the bead seat band when using the driver assembly shownin the above-mentioned patent. In the prior patent, an elongated member1 1 having a slot 13 therein was welded to the bead seat band for thepurpose of engaging other members extending from the rim base to preventcircumferential movement of the bead seat band on the rim base. Themember 11, however, in the prior Gerbeth patent, stiffened the portionof the bead seat band to which it was attached so that the band couldnot flex radially in that area. This resulted in increased flexing alonga transverse line at each end of the member 1 1. This concentratedflexing in these particular areas ultimately resulted in weakening andfailure of the bead seat band in these areas. To overcome thisdifficulty, it was found that if the member which was attached to thebead seat band was divided into two individual parts and the parts wereproperly tapered, such configuration would permit greater freedom forradial flexing around the entire circumference of the bead seat bandand, thereby, substantially reduce the concentrated stresses whichprecipitate failures of the bead seat band.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of this invention toprovide a driver lug assembly on the bead seat band of a vehicle wheelrim which will not create areas of undue stress concentration due toflexing of the bead seat band in a certain area. Another object of theinvention is to provide a driver lug assembly on the bead seat bandwhich may be used with existing driver assembly components that aremounted on the rim base. These and other objects of the invention willbecome more fully apparent as the description proceeds in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showingthe wheel rim assembly with the rim driver in a disassembled position;

FIG. 2 shows a fragmentary perspective view of the wheel rim assemblywith the rim driver in the assembled position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of thebead seat band with the driver lug assembly of the invention mountedthereon;

' FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the prior art structure of adriver member attached to a bead seat band of a wheel rim;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the prior art structure shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the driver lug assembly oftheinvention shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the driver lug assembly shownin FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view showing another embodiment of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Since the present rim structure issubstantially identical to that shown in the previously mentionedGerbeth US. Pat. No.

3,003,538, the overall rim structure will not be described in greatdetail. Referring now to FIG. 1 of the present invention, the wheel rimassembly is indicated as a whole by the numeral 1. The entire driverassembly is indicated by the numeral 2. The wheel rim assembly 1 has anendless cylindrical rim base 3. Along one axial edge of the rim base 3,a gutter edge portion 4 carries a split lockring 5 which is mounted toengage an endless bead seat band 6 which telescopes over the rim base 3.A rim flange 7 engages the outwardly flanged portion 8 of the bead seatband 6. Between the bead seat band 6 and the rim base 3, an O-ring 9 islocated which, when the rim is in the assembled position, is distortedand compressed under axial and radial stresses to seal the passagewaysbetween the rim parts through which the air would escape from the tire.The particular rim construction illustrated is commercially availableand the description hereof is only general in nature to illustrate theinvention. It will be apparent that the invention would also beapplicable to other types of rims for preventing relativecircumferential movement of various rim parts. In order to preventslipping between the bead seat band 6 and the rim base 3 when the tireand rim are subjected to a torque, the driver assembly 2 is used tosecurely connect the rim base 3 and the bead seat band 6 so that norelative circumferential movement will occur. As part of the driverassembly 2, an elongated slotted member 10 is attached to the gutteredge 4 of the rim base 3, preferably by welding. The slotted member 10has an axially inward facing slot 1 l for receiving a driver 12 havingtwo projecting ears 13 and 14 on each end thereof. When the driver 12 ispositioned in the slot 11, as shown in FIG. 2, the ears l3 and 14contact the slotted member 10 at the ends of slot 11 and prevent thedriver 12 from dropping through the slot '11. pair of driver lugs 15 and16 are attached to the outward-flanged portion 8 of the bead seat band 6in spaced circumferential relationship to each other. The driver lugs 15and 16 are substantially identical and are positioned upon the flangedportion 8 in opposed relationship to each other to define a pocket 17therebetween for receiving the upper portion of the driver 12. It may beseen that when the driver assembly is in the assembled position, asshown in FIG. 2, the driver lugs 15 and 16, in addition to contactingthe ends of the driver 12, contact the top of the ears l3 and 14 to holdthe driver 12 in position in the slot 11. This means that when the wheelrotates and the driver 12 is below the slotted member 10, it will notdrop out because it is retained by the driver lugs 15 and 16. Referringnow to FIG. 3,'the driver lug assembly made up of driver lugs 15 and 16is shown welded to the flange portion 8 of the bead seat band 6. Each ofthe driver lugs 15 and 16 has an enlarged portion 18 from which thesides of the lug taper in both directions toward the end thereof so thateach end is of smaller cross section than the enlarged portion 18. Eachof the lugs 15 and 16 is welded along each side thereof by a weld seam19 which extends beyond each end of each of the lugs. The purpose of thetapered contour of the lugs and of extending the weld seams beyond theends of the lugs is to provide a gradual transition in stiffness in thebead seat band between the thickest portion of each lug and the portionof the bead seat band extending beyond the end of each lug. This gradualtransition of stiffness is desirable since it eliminates the problemencountered in the prior art device shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in which acontinuous slotted driver member 20 having a pocket 21 therein is weldedto a bead seat band 22. When the continuous member 20 is used, the beadseat band 22 is stiffened throughout the entire length of the member 20and therefore, the radial flexing of the bead seat band 22 in that areais eliminated or at least substantially reduced to the point thatconcentrated flexing occurs in the transverse areas indicated by thelines A-A and B-B in FIGS. 4 and 5. Such concentrated flexing eventuallyweakens the bead seat band to the point that it will crack undercontinued use. The present invention solves this problem by eliminatingthe long, stiff area along the circumference of the bead 'seat band asis produced by use of the continuous member 20. As shown in FIGS. 6 and7, the present invention interrupts the long continuous stiffened areaby the use of separate individual driver lugs 15 and 16. The stiffnessis further reduced by tapering the lugs 15 and 16, as previouslydescribed in the description in FIG. 3. In addition, the continuation ofthe weld seams 19 beyond the ends of each lug provides a more gradualtransition between the very thick portions 18 of the lugs and thearea,on the bead seat band near the ends of the lugs. This reduces thepossibility of a concentrated stress area in the bead seat band such asthat illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 at lines A-A and BB. The lugs and 16each have a stepped portion 23 which, taken together with the portion 23of the opposite lug, form the pocket 17 which receives the driver 12. Itwill be obvious that various tapers may be used on the lugs, dependingupon the particular stress requirements of each bead seat band on whichthe lugs are used. It should also be understood that the driver lugsshown in the present invention may be used with other configurations ofdrivers which may be mounted on the rim base in a different manner fromthat illustrated in the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a fragmentary portion of the rim base 3 similar to thatshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but having, instead of the slotted member 10, apair of bracket members 24 and 26 each having one end portion welded tothe axially outer edge of the gutter edge portion 4 and the opposite endspaced from the edge portion '4 so that both spaced ends form a slot 26between them and the edge portion 4 similar to the slot 11 in FIGS. 1and 2. The welded end portions of the members 24 and 25 are tapered in amanner similar to the driver lugs 15 and 16. The adjacent ends of themembers 24 and 25 have a space 27 therebetween to permit flexing of therim base 3. This embodiment may be used when it is desired to give moreflexibility to the rim base in the area of the member 10 to relieveundesirable flexing stress concentrations. The member 10 shown in FIGS.1 and 2 may also be tapered at each end in the same manner as themembers 24 and 25 for better stress distribution throughout the rim base3.

, Various modifications may be madein the overall rim assembly structurewithout departing from the scope of the invention so long as the basicidea is used of relieving the stresses in the band to which the lugs areattached by dividing the single member into two shorter members to breakup the long stiffened area and provide more uniform flexing throughoutthe entire circumference of the band.

What I claim is:

1. A multipiece wheel rim comprising:

A. an endless cylindrical rim base;

B. a removable endless bead seat band encircling said rim base;

C. locking means engaging the rim base and the bead seat I hand tomaintain the base and the bead seat band in the assembled position whena tire is mounted on said rim;

and

D. driver means to prevent relative circumferential movement betweensaid rim base and said bead seat band when said tire and rim are in useon a vehicle, said means comprising:

I. a first means attached to and extending from the axial outer edge ofthe rim base across at least a portion of the axial outer edge of thebead seat band,

2. a second means comprising a pair of circumferentially spaced-apartdriver lugs individually attached to the bead seat band,

. said lugs extending from the bead seat band and defining a pockettherebetween for receiving a portion of the first means,

4. each driver lug having a portion of enlarged cross section extendingtransversely thereof and tapering to a smaller cross section at eachend.

I 2'. A multipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 1 wherein each driverlug is welded to the bead seat band and the welds are extended beyondeach end of the lug.

3. A multipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 1 wherein each lug has astepped portion on the end facing the opposed lug, said stepped portionforming the pocket for receiving the first means.

4. A multipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first meanscomprises a fixed member attached'to the rim base and a removable membercarried by the fixed member.

5. A multipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 4 wherein the removablemember extends into the pocket formed by the two driver lugs and is heldin position by the driver lugs when the wheel rim is in the assembledposition with a tire thereon.

6. A multipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first meanscomprises a pair of fixed members attached to the rim base andaremovable. member carried by said fixed members. r

7. A driver lug assembly for use on a multipiece wheel rim to preventcircumferential movement between a rim base and a bead seat band byengaging a driver means extending from the rim base across an axialouter edge of the bead seat band, the lug assembly comprising:

A. a pair of circumferentially spaced-apart driver lugs attached to thebead seat band;

B. said lugs defining a pocket therebetween for engaging the drivermeansattached to the rim base;

C. the portion of the bead seat band between the driver lugs beingsufficiently flexible to permitradial flexing of the bead seat band inthat area to relieve undesirable stress concentrations in other parts ofthe bead seat band;

D. each driver lug having an intermediate portion of enlarged crosssection and tapering to a smaller cross section at each end.

8. A multipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 7 wherein each driver lugis welded to the bead seat band and the welds are extended beyond eachend of the lug.

9. A multipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 7 wherein each lug has astepped portion on the end facing the opposed lug, said stepped portionforming the pocket for receiving the driver means. I a

10. A multipiece wheel rim comprising:

A. an endless cylindrical rim base;

B. a removable endless bead seat band encircling said rim base;

C. locking means engaging the rim base and the bead seat band tomaintain the base and the bead seat band in the assembled position whena tire is mounted on saidrim; and i D. driver means to prevent relativecircumferential movement between said rim base and said head seat bandwhen said tire and rim are in use on a vehicle, said means comprising: j

l. a first means attached to and extending from the axial outer edge ofthe rim base across at least a portion of the axial outer edge of thebead seat band, and

2. a second means comprising a pair of circumferentially spaced-apartdriver lugs individually attached to the bead seat band,

. said lugs extending from the bead seat band and defining a pockettherebetween for receiving a portion of the first means,

4. each driver lug having a portion of enlarged cross section extendingtransversely thereof and tapering to a smaller cross section at eachend.

11. A driver lug assembly for use on a multipiece wheel rim to preventcircumferential movement between a rim base and a bead seat band byengaging a driver means extending from the rim base across an axialouter edge of the bead seat band, the lug assembly comprising:

A. a pair of circumferentially spaced-apart driver lugs attached to thebead seat band;

B. said lugs defining a pocket therebetween for engaging the 7 drivermeans attached to the rim base;

C. the portion of the bead seat band between the driver lugs beingsufficiently flexible to permit radial flexing of the bead seat band inthat area to relieve undesirable stress concentrations in other parts ofthe bead seat band;

D. each lug having a stepped portion onthe end facing the opposed lug,said' stepped portion forming the pocket for receiving the driver means.7

12. A multipiece wheel rim comprising: 7 slot,

A[ an endless cylindrical rim base; I 2. a second means comprising apair of circumferentially B. a removable endless bead seat bandencircling said rim spaced-apart driver lugs individually attached'tothe base; bead seat band,

C. a split lockring engaging the rim base and the b ad Seat 5 3. saidlugs extending from the bead seat band and definband to maintain thebase and the bead seat band in the g a pocket thereb'etween, d Yassembled position when a tire is mounted on said rim; a removabledriver lug extending radially through and the slot in the first meansand the pocket in the second D. driver means to prevent relativecircumferential movemeans and lying axially outwardly of the p lockfihg,

ment between said rim base and said bead seat band when 10 v Saiddl'iver having a P 0f ears each end which he Said tire a rim are in useon a vehicle Said means between the first and second means when thewheel rim is assembled to prevent the driver lug from moving prising:

radially In either direction.

. l. a first means attached to the axial outer edge of the rim base anddefining therebetween a radially extending

1. A multipiece wheel rim comprising: A. an endless cylindrical rimbase; B. a removable endless bead seat band encircling said rim base; C.locking means engaging the rim base and the bead seat band to maintainthe base and the bead seat band in the assembled position when a tire ismounted on said rim; and D. driver means to prevent relativecircumferential movement between said rim base and said bead seat bandwhen said tire And rim are in use on a vehicle, said meanscomprising:
 1. a first means attached to and extending from the axialouter edge of the rim base across at least a portion of the axial outeredge of the bead seat band,
 2. a second means comprising a pair ofcircumferentially spaced-apart driver lugs individually attached to thebead seat band,
 3. said lugs extending from the bead seat band anddefining a pocket therebetween for receiving a portion of the firstmeans,
 4. each driver lug having a portion of enlarged cross sectionextending transversely thereof and tapering to a smaller cross sectionat each end.
 2. a second means comprising a pair of circumferentiallyspaced-apart driver lugs individually attached to the bead seat band, 2.A multipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 1 wherein each driver lug iswelded to the bead seat band and the welds are extended beyond each endof the lug.
 2. a second means comprising a pair of circumferentiallyspaced-apart driver lugs individually attached to the bead seat band, 2.a second means comprising a pair of circumferentially spaced-apartdriver lugs individually attached to the bead seat band,
 3. said lugsextending from the bead seat band and defining a pocket therebetween,and
 3. said lugs extending from the bead seat band and defining a pockettherebetween for receiving a portion of the first means,
 3. A multipiecewheel rim as claimed in claim 1 wherein each lug has a stepped portionon the end facing the opposed lug, said stepped portion forming thepocket for receiving the first means.
 3. said lugs extending from thebead seat band and defining a pocket therebetween for receiving aportion of the first means,
 4. each driver lug having a portion ofenlarged cross section extending transversely thereof and tapering to asmaller cross section at each end.
 4. A multipiece wheel rim as claimedin claim 1 wherein the first means comprises a fixed member attached tothe rim base and a removable member carried by the fixed member.
 4. eachdriver lug having a portion of enlarged cross section extendingtransversely thereof and tapering to a smaller cross section at eachend.
 4. a removable driver lug extending radially through both the slotin the first means and the pocket in the second means and lying axiallyoutwardly of the split lockring,
 5. said driver having a pair of ears oneach end which lie between the first and second means when the wheel rimis assembled to prevent the driver lug from moving radially in eitherdirection.
 5. A multipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 4 wherein theremovable member extends into the pocket formed by the two driver lugsand is held in position by the driver lugs when the wheel rim is in theassembled position with a tire thereon.
 6. A multipiece wheel rim asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the first means comprises a pair of fixedmembers attached to the rim base and a removable member carried by saidfixed members.
 7. A driver lug assembly for use on a multipiece wheelrim to prevent circumferential movement between a rim base and a beadseat band by engaging a driver means extending from the rim base acrossan axial outer edge of the bead seat band, the lug assembly comprising:A. a pair of circumferentially spaced-apart driver lugs attached to thebead seat band; B. said lugs defining a pocket therebetween for engagingthe driver means attached to the rim base; C. the portion of the beadseat band between the driver lugs being sufficiently flexible to permitradial flexing of the bead seat band in that area to relieve undesirablestress concentrations in other parts of the bead seat band; D. eachdriver lug having an intermediate portion of enlarged cross section andtapering to a smaller cross section at each end.
 8. A multipiece wheelrim as claimed in claim 7 wherein each driver lug is welded to the beadseat band and the welds are extended beyond each end of the lug.
 9. Amultipiece wheel rim as claimed in claim 7 wherein each lug has astepped portion on the end facing the opposed lug, said stepped portionforming the pocket for receiving the driver means.
 10. A multipiecewheel rim comprising: A. an endless cylindrical rim base; B. a removableendless bead seat band encircling said rim base; C. locking meansengaging the rim base and the bead seat band to maintain the base andthe bead seat band in the assembled position when a tire is mounted onsaid rim; and D. driver means to prevent relative circumferentialmovement between said rim base and said bead seat band when said tireand rim are in use on a vehicle, said means comprising:
 11. A driver lugassembly for use on a multipiece wheel rim to prevent circumferentialmOvement between a rim base and a bead seat band by engaging a drivermeans extending from the rim base across an axial outer edge of the beadseat band, the lug assembly comprising: A. a pair of circumferentiallyspaced-apart driver lugs attached to the bead seat band; B. said lugsdefining a pocket therebetween for engaging the driver means attached tothe rim base; C. the portion of the bead seat band between the driverlugs being sufficiently flexible to permit radial flexing of the beadseat band in that area to relieve undesirable stress concentrations inother parts of the bead seat band; D. each lug having a stepped portionon the end facing the opposed lug, said stepped portion forming thepocket for receiving the driver means.
 12. A multipiece wheel rimcomprising: A. an endless cylindrical rim base; B. a removable endlessbead seat band encircling said rim base; C. a split lockring engagingthe rim base and the bead seat band to maintain the base and the beadseat band in the assembled position when a tire is mounted on said rim;and D. driver means to prevent relative circumferential movement betweensaid rim base and said bead seat band when said tire and rim are in useon a vehicle, said means comprising: